Korean J Community Nutr.  2012 Aug;17(4):365-375. 10.5720/kjcn.2012.17.4.365.

Development of a Risk Communication Material on Artificial Food Color Additives for Elementary School Students

• Ko MH
• Kim JW

• KMID: 2267409
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2012.17.4.365

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a risk communication material on artificial food color additives for elementary school students. The development was based on a previous study on the perception and information needs of elementary school students on artificial food colors including that the students usually were interested in artificial food colors, but didn't know about those well, and they wanted to get information on the safety of their intake, function and necessity of food color additives. Based on the above results, a comic book on artificial food colors was developed as a risk communication material for the elementary school students by brainstorming and consultation with experts. The book was titled as 'Variegated artificial food colors! Understanding and Eating'. It contained basic information on food additives focused on artificial food colors including definition, function, calculation of ADI, usage of artificial food colors, quizzes and useful web sites, etc. The results of field evaluation for the developed material by 101 elementary school students were very positive in getting the correct information, understanding artificial food colors and having proper attitude for healthy dietary life. Therefore, the developed material could be used to help elementary school students have proper perception on artificial food colors and facilitate the risk communication on food additives.

Keyword

artificial food colors; food additives; risk communication material; elementary school students; comic book

MeSH Terms

Food Additives
Humans
Food Additives

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The cover page of the comic book developed.

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  Fig. 2 An example of the book contents on why artificial food colors are added.

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  Fig. 3 Usefulness of the book by the elementary school students (*: 1 not useful at all, 2 not useful, 3 average, 4 useful, 5 very useful).

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  Fig. 4 The most useful contents of the book by the elementary school students.

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  Fig. 5 The information recognized very well through the book by the elementary school students.

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  Fig. 6 Previous misunderstanding on artificial food colors by elementary school students.

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  Fig. 7 Further information needs of elementary school students.

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  Fig. 8 Elementary school students' impression and opinion on the comic book.

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